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Introduction to Linux - A Hands on Guide

This guide was created as an overview of the Linux Operating System, geared toward new users as an exploration tour and getting started guide, with exercises at the end of each chapter.
For more advanced trainees it can be a desktop reference, and a collection of the base knowledge needed to proceed with system and network administration. This book contains many real life examples derived from the author's experience as a Linux system and network administrator, trainer and consultant. They hope these examples will help you to get a better understanding of the Linux system and that you feel encouraged to try out things on your own.

Supposedly the 4th most popular distro of Linux on the planet (according to their website). They don't have instructions for creating a live usb and installing the os in a dual boot configuration with Win 7... or more accurately I found 3 utilities that supposedly make live usbs and 40 different posts about configuring dual boot with any OS besides 7 and the ones for 7 were contradictory or just plain wrong. I am not going to ask why the distro's website does not have a short tutorial on how to install the OS in probably the most common configuration because if they don't know that an OS requires installation instructions then they have a great many more issues that need to be addressed.

For the sake of argument let's assume the development team was more competent than the web team (registration for the site and forum are also malfunctioning).

How does a person install Mint in a dual boot configuration with windows 7 via usb (preferably with no data loss)? That question is quasi-rhetorical as I am having great doubts about an OS maintained by people who do not know how to maintain a website... as noobish as I am I still knew how to post instructions for installing game clients when I ran game servers. Z/Z

It's easy to criticize somebody else's work. If you feel that confident about yourself, why don't you get involved and offer your skills to the Linux Mint team? I'm sure they're always looking for volunteers. That being said, here's a link to a site that has pretty good explanation on the process you need.

Thanks for the link. If they need help writing a tutorial with sceenshots for installing the OS I'd be glad to help. The malfunctions on the registrations can be fixed or just plain removed... not sure how to fix the activation email issue as I have never had it but disabling it is easy enough...email activation is redundant when you have to go through 2-3 Turing Tests anyways. Z/Z

You're welcome. Have you communicated that to the Linux Mint team or offered your volunteer services to them? They won't be contacting you. If you can help out, there are a lot of communities looking for volunteers.

I have to verify the link you gave me leads to the proper usb installation instructions... I always verify because it'll be my reputation on the line if I give someone the wrong advice even if it is second hand. As to telling them about the registration problem... I'll do it but I find that many people do NOT respond to constructive criticism well.

Giving back to online communities is a very worth while venture. I am attempting to find a niche I can fill in anime fansubbing because I have enjoyed countless fansubs. I am more than happy to give back to the Linux community when I am more proficient. I am a bit skilled with forum management and also skilled at getting banned from them :3

I don't think unetbootin likes my biometric flash drive. Yumi seems to work fine but I think Yumi only allows me to run Linux from the flash drive and not install the OS? Haven't tried the Universal utility thing yet. Z/Z

wiki sed Mint has a base distro of "Debian, Ubuntu" which makes me concerned about Ubuntu-only approved methods of installation... someone suggested wubi but I am not sure if wubi would work and if it did if it would be as functional as a full install.

On the upside I am very reckless and will get bored and throw caution the the wind eventually and try out any installation method that looks promising I could use a vbox but I don't like splitting up system resources. Z/Z

You are correct, there is also a Mint version based on Debian (LMDE) but for most users I recommend the "regular" Mint (current release is Mint 12, based on Ubuntu 11.10).

I do not understand however why you say Mint is poorly documented. They have awesome documentation (including burn-to-usb and install-to-hard-drive instructions) right here: http://www.linuxmint.com/documentation.php

If there are gaps in their documentation then you can use Ubuntu documentation to fill in the blanks, in addition to these forums and the Mint forums, obviously.

The documentation only seems to cover live dvd installs BUT the instructions are very easy to read. Since you said 12 is Ubuntu-based I guess I can look up the official live usb install instructions for the generic Ubuntu install and wubi should work as well. When I was on the site earlier I checked out the forums and tutorial sections and couldn't get a definitive example of how to install Mint and I skipped over the "Documentation" section because I equated it with technical documentation which is usually useless to noobs like me.

Anyways...I may have been a bit hasty. Btw... how does the "Was this helpful" thing on this forum work? Can I make only one selection per thread or per post or per member or whatnot? Z/Z

I agree with snowpine, if you're new to Linux you'd better stick with the regular Mint version that's based on Ubuntu. LMDE (Linux Mint Debian Edition) is based on Debian testing and this has a tendency to have things break on you now and then.

The 'helpful' thing is LQ reputation points system. By using it you say thank you in a way if someone posted information that led to a solution for your problem (or the solution itself for that matter).